Gov. Ben Cayetano has restored $3.5 million to the A+ after-school program, so fees will not increase in the coming school year. Gov gives A+ program
$3.5 millionBy Lisa Asato
lasato@starbulletin.com"This year, we should expect to continue the program the same as the current year. Funding has been restored to allow us a full year's operation without adjusting fees," said Greg Knudsen, spokesman for the state Department of Education.
In a May 24 memo to the governor, schools Superintendent Patricia Hamamoto asked the governor to restore the funds, saying, "It is painfully evident that the reduction will seriously and negatively affect the health and safety of latchkey children in the formative years of their development."
The state Legislature reduced funding for the $10 million program by $3.5 million, in effort to deal with anticipated tax revenue shortfalls.
The funds were restored to the department's current fiscal year's budget, which ends June 30, by the governor, who was a driving force in the creation of the program when he was lieutenant governor.
The money will be transferred to the department's budget for the coming fiscal year to support the A+ program. The program serves about 26,000 students statewide. It was designed to provide after-school care for latchkey students.
The department had earlier warned that the lack of funds would mean fees may have to be increased to as much as $70 from $55 and that subsidies and discounts were also jeopardized. And even then, the department said, the program might be forced to shut down as early as February. The nine-month program usually ends in May or June.
State of Hawaii
